Railway journal box lubricator



y 3, 1956 J. .1. HENNESSY RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1953 NOE IN VEN TOR.

y 3, 1956 J. J. HENNESSY 2,753,226

RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR Filed June 24, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wag,

United States Patent RAILWAY JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR James J. Hennessy, Chambersburg, Pa., assignor to Hennessy Lubricator Company, Inc., Chambersbnrg, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application June 24, 1953, Serial No. 363,795

13 Claims. (Cl. 308--84) This invention relates to lubricators for railway axle journals and comprises a device for pumping lubricant oil from a sump within the journal box and distributing it to the rotating journal, the pump being operated by the play of the journal crosswise of the journal box.

The invention more particularly consists in a pumping and lubricant distributing assemblage, together with a mounting and positioning assemblage, both assemblages forming a unit adapted to be inserted through the usual opening in the outer end of a journal box of American Association of Railroads (A. A. R.) general construction to position the distributing assemblage in contact with the journal, the mounting and supporting assemblage being readily positioned and secured in predetermined relation to the journal box and the journal by partsyieldingly thrusting against portions of the box and the journal.

The principal object of the invention is to construct a lubricator of the type described which is readily applied to and removed from a journal box and which may be positioned accurately therein irrespective of manufacturing variations in the length, width or depth of the box without making individual adjustments and without alterations of the box structure itself for the purpose of applying the lubricator.

Another object of the invention is to effectively pump lubricant to the journal by a simple sturdy device unlikely to weaken or to fail in service.

Other detail objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the journal of a railway axle and an A. A. R. journal box mounted thereon, showing the lubricator in full lines, in normal operating position, and in broken lines, in a position assumed as it is being applied to or removed from the box.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the journal showing the pump partially collapsed.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through the journal box showing the end of the journal and the adjacent portions of the lubricator.

Figure 4 is in part a longitudinal cross-sectional view 7 'bottom wall 5, the forward portion of which curves forwardly and upwardly at 6 and meets the front Wall 7 inclined forwardly and downwardly from top wall 2. The outer edges of walls 3, 6, and 7 form an opening 8 permitting access to the interior of box 1. Depending from the inner face of top wall 2 just rearwardly of opening 8 i ice is a pair of transverse lugs 9. Extending into box 1 through its rear portion is a railway axle journal 10 of the usual construction.

The lubricator comprises a distributor including a pad 11 of fibrous material for application to the journal, a pump, including a collapsible body 12 and an operating lever 13, for elevating oil to the distributor, and a mounting structure for supporting the pump and distributor and positioning them in the box and against the journal, as best shown in Figure 1.

The mounting structure includes a U-shaped frame having a tubular cross bar 14 and legs 15, the lower inner ends 15a of which are seated on the box bottom wall (Figure 3). If the box wall is flat, then the ends of legs 15 would be supported by suitable lugs on the bottom of the box. The legs curve upwardly at 15b to seat on the upwardly curved portion 6 of the box bottom wall. An H-shaped frame has legs 16, the lower ends of which turn inwardly and are journaled in cross bar 14. The H frame includes a cross bar 17 slidable on legs 16. Elements 18 extend upwardly and inwardly from cross bar 17 and are shaped to underlie lugs 9 and to oppose the usual wedge W supporting the box on bearing B. This prevents the H frame being pushed outof position by a careless workman or by thrust exerted by the box lid (not shown) against a supplemental lid. Also, this arrangement prevents the wedge jumping out of position as sometimes occurs at high speed which naturally will be harmful to the bearing and will overheat the journal. Coil springs 19 encircle the lower portions of H frame legs 16 and are compressed between cross bar 17 and upwardly facing shoulders 16a on legs 16 and thrust U frame 14, 15 downwardly and rearwardly of the box as the U frame slides along its contacts on the box bottom wall.

A shaft 20 extending transversely of the box is journaled in slots S in thelower ends of frame legs 15. Coiled about shaft 20 are the ends of spring wires 21 extending to the rear lower corner of the box and connected by a cross wire 37 engaging the box rear wall 4 when the lubricator is in normal functioning position. Wires 21 form a substantially stiff spacer between frame 14, 15 and the rear wall of the box. However, this spacer may flex transversely of its plane to accommodate the insertion and removal of the unit into and out of the box. To increase this flexibility of wires 21, they may be provided with intermediate coils 21a.

Other spring wires 22 have their forward portions coiled about shaft 20 with terminals 22a anchored in slots 22b in legs 15. The rear portions of wires 22a carry a pin 23 mounting ears 24 depending from a backing plate 25 which carries distributor pad 11. When the lubricator is in normal functioning position, the outer ends of slots 22]; hold spring wires 22 so that they thrust pad 11 against the journal. When the lubricator is being inserted or withdrawn from the journal box, wires 22 have limited pivoting relative to legs 15 (see Figure 5) because of movement of the wire terminals to the other ends of slots 22b. Wires 21 may pivot freely on shaft 20, subject to the limitations of their outturned ends engaging the ends of slots 22b.

A paddle-like member 26 has arms 26a journaled on shaft 20. Member 26 mounts pump body 12, the upper and lower ends of which are secured to upper and lower end plates 27, 28 respectively. Upper plate 27'connects with the bottom of pad 11. Lower plate 28 is mounted upon lever arm 26. A coil spring 29 in the pump chamber is compressed between plates 27, 28 and tends to expand the pump body. Plate 28 has intake valve structure 30 and "plate 27 has discharge valve structure 31.

Operating lever 13 is pivoted on shaft 29 and has an arm 13a extending forwardly and upwardly and at its upper end pivotally mounting a contact disc 32. The lever has a relatively short arm 13b extending horizontally from shaft and overlying a portion of paddle 26. A torsion spring 34 encircles shaft 20 with ends underlying paddle 26 and with an intermediate looped portion ,36 underlying lever arm 13a.

With the parts in operating position as shown in Figure l, springs 19 thrust frame 14, 15, shaft 20 and wire sections 21 downwardly and inwardly until the cross wire 37 engages box wall 4. Wire sections 22 yieldingly support the distributor with its pad 11 against the bottom of journal 10. Spring 29, with its upper end seated against the distributor, thrusts paddle 26 downwardly. The relatively stiff torsion spring 34 constitutes lever 13 and paddle 26 a normally rigid unit. When journal 10 shifts to the left from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 2, the lever-paddle unit is pivoted on shaft '20 to collapse the pump body 12 discharging oil through valve 31 to the distributor pad 11. When journal 10 returns to its original position as shown in Figure 1, spring 29 expands the pump body, whereupon valve 31 closes and intake valve 30 opens to admit oil from the sump formed by the bottom of the journal box. Oil gauge elements 40 and 41 on frame legs 15 indicate the lower and upper oil levels in the box which should be observed by inspectors.

The manner of inserting and removing the lubricator into and from the box is indicated in Figure 5. The op erator grasps cross bars 14, 17 between this thumb and fingers, compressing springs 19 from the position shown Figure 1. This disengages elements 1 8 from lugs 9, and the H frame may be swung outwardly to the horizon- .tal position shown in Figure 5. Wire handles 42 (Figure 2) on the distributor have finger loops 42a which are then grasped and the forward end of the distributor tilted downwardly to clear the collar 10a on the end of journal 10 and the entire lubricator may then be pulled out of the box without harm to the pump or any other parts. A strap 43 is connected to the right hand end of paddle 26 and .to pin 23 and limits the movement of these parts away from each other, thus avoiding rupture of the pump body.

Preferably distributor pad 11 is mounted upon a relatively stiff backing 25 to which handle 42 is secured. However, backing 25 and pad 11, like wire sections 21, may flex vertically and transversely of its thickness to permit bending of the distributor as it is moved through the space between the lower outer corner of the journal and the adjacent portion 6 of the box bottom Wall and may accommodate the hinging of frames 14, 15 and 16, 17 bout shaft 20.

The arrangement provides for a yielding thrust of the distributor pad against the journal independently of the downward thrust of springs 19 on the hold-down frame 16, 1-7 against frame 14, 15.

The details of the construction may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the invention is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. A railway axle journal lubricator comprising a distributor shaped for application to the underside of a journal to be lubricated, a pump with a vertically collapsible body below said distributor with its upper portion in valved connection with said distributor, a support and positioning assemblage for said distributor and pump including a frame with a pair of elongated legs, each having a downwardly disposed terminal arranged to engage the bottom wall of a journal box, said legs being slotted lengthwise, a cross bar extending between and supported by the sides of said slots, and a pump operating lever fulcrumed on said bar and having an upwardly eX- tending arm adapted for contact with the end of the journal, said operating lever having another arm underlying 4 the lower portions of said pump body, there being a yielding support for said distributor extending upwardly from said cross bar.

2. A railway axle journal lubricator comprising a support frame arranged to rest upon the bottom of a journal box, a spacer comprising a spring wire extending stiflly substantially horizontally from one end of said frame but adapted to flex under forces applied to it substantially vertically between its ends, an extension frame pivoted to the other .end of said support frame, there being a spring thrusting said extension frame away from said support frame, an operating lever fulcrumed on the lower portion of said support frame and including an arm, extending from its fulcrum substantially horizontally and alongside said spacer, and another arm extending in the opposite direction and upwardly from said fulcrum, a collapsible pump body extending upwardly from said first-mentioned lever arm, a distributor pad overlying and connected to the upper end of said pump body, and a carrier pivoted to and extending from said support frame and upwardly above said spacer and connected at its upper end to said distributor, the distributor carrier comprising elongated spring wires with portions coiled about a transverse lower end of the support frame to pivot the wires on the frame, the distributor carrier including an extension having a lost motion anchor to the support frame and constituting the carrier a torsion spring support for the distributor.

3. A railway axle journal lubricator as described in claim 2 in which the spacer and distributor carrier are pivoted to the same end of the support frame as the operating lever and the extension frame is pivoted to the opposite end of the support frame, whereby the lubricator forms a jointed structure to facilitate movement of the lubricator into and out of the space between a railway axle journal and the bottom of a box supported thereon in the normal position.

4. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a distributor having an elongated face concaved transversely of its length for application to a journal to be lubricated, a rigid support frame below and spaced from said distributor, spring wires separately coiled about a transverse end of said frame as a pivot with one wire extending away from said frame end below and spaced from the distributor and forming a spacer for the frame, another of said spring wires being anchored to said frame so as to be inclined upwardly from the lower end of said frame end, the remote end of the latter-mentioned wire being secured to said distributor and forming a yielding support therefor, and a pump mechanism associated with the frame and distributor and including an operating lever fulcrumed on said frame and having an arm extending upwardly from its fulcrum to the level of said distributor face and spaced from the adjacent end of the distributor.

5. A railway axle journal lubricator as described in claim 4 which includes a hold-down structure extending upwardly from the end of the support frame remote from the spring wires and at the side of the upwardly extending lever arm facing away from the distributor.

6. A railway axle journal lubricator as described in claim 4 which includes a hold-down comprising telescoping sections and a spring extending the sections, the lower of said sections being pivoted to the end of the support frame remote from the spring wires, said sections extending upwardly at the side of the upwardly extending lever arm facing away from the distributor.

7. In a railway axle journal, box and lubricator assembly, a mounting member resting on the bottom wall of the journal box, a pivot pin extending transversely of the box and slidable on said member lengthwise of the journal, a spacer pivoted to said pin and engaging the box inner rear wall, a pump carrier pivoted upon said pin, a lubricant distributor support pivoted on said pin, a thrust device associated with said mounting member and engaging the box top wall, and a pump operating lever pivoted on said pin, said spacer, carrier, support and lever being movable relative to each other about their pivotal connections to the mounting member into substantial alignment with adjacent parts to facilitate insc rtion into and removal from a position in the box beneath the journal.

8. An assembly as described in claim 7 in which the spacer is flexible under forces tending to bend it vertically and transversely of its length.

in combination with a railway axle journal, a journal bearing carried thereby, a wedge mounted on the bearing and a journal box mounted on the wedge and having a bottom wall, a rear Wall and a top wall with do pending elements opposing the forward end of the wedge, a journal lubricator comprising a distributor applied to the lower face of the journal, a pump below the distributor for supplying lubricant thereto, a distributor and pump carrying structure supported from the box bottom wall, and means for positioning said carrying structure comprising a hold-down device connected to the outer end of the carrying structure with its outer end engaging downwardly facing portions of said elements and forwardly facing portions of said wedge, whereby the wedge opposes movement of the upper end of the hold-down device towards the adjacent end of the journal and the hold-down device opposes movement of the wedge toward the open end of the journal box.

10. An assembly as described in claim 9 which includes a spacer extending from the lower inner end of the carrying structure below said distributor and terminating in elements abutting the box rear wall.

ll. A lubricator for application to a railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon, comprising a frame member with a downwardly presented part for mounting the same on a journal box bottom wall, a horizontally dis posed pin extending transversely of said frame member and mounted near one end of said frame to slide lengthwise thereof, a lever fulcrutned on said pin and having an upwardly extending actuating arm, disposed for com tact with a journal end face, and a horizontally extending actuated arm, a vertically collapsible pump chamber carried on said actuated arm, a distributor extending horizontally above said pump chamber and shaped for application to the underside of a journal, means supporting said distributor from the frame member, there being a discharge passage from said chamber to said distributor, a stifi" spacer extending from said pin past said frame and for engaging the box rear wall, and yielding thrust means extending from the other end of said frame menu her for engaging a box top wall.

12. An assembly as described in claim 7 in which a lubricant distributor is carried by the support and comprises a wide elongated arcuate structure for application to a journal and flexible transversely of its length and width to facilitate its insertion and removal from an assembled axle journal and box.

13. An assembly as described in claim 7 in which the spacer is flexible transversely of its length to facilitate its insertion and removal from an assembled axle journal and box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,489 Hennessy Nov. 24, 1953 

